Hinduism 101: Ganesha, Hindu Elephant God - Full Stop India Links Hinduism 101: Ganesha, Hindu Elephant God Ganesha, the much beloved elephant god of India. He is the son of Shiva , Lord of the Brahmacharis (celibates), remover of obstacles, and the Lord of Success. He is the god of wisdom whose image has become an iconic symbol for Hinduism around the world. He is the god of education with an elephant head, large ears, a curved trunk atop a huge pot-bellied human body. Followers look to him for help with wealth and knowledge. They worship him at the start of a ritual or beginning of a journey. He is the guardian deity of Hinduism. Image Ganesha is recognized by his elephant head, symbolic of auspiciousness, strength and intellectual prowess. The largest and strongest animal of India, the elephant is gentle, affectionate and loyal; These are also the qualities of Ganesha. Although he is a powerful god, he is known as a loving, forgiving deity. Ganesha’s large head is symbolic of the wisdom of the elephant.

His large ears allow him to hear everything yet able to separate good from bad, reality from the unreal. He is a short man, usually shown with red or yellow skin, and four to ten arms and a pot belly. It is said his obesity is symbolic of the whole universe for which his belly contains. His trunk, always bent, is a symbol of discrimination. Ganesha uses it to remove obstacles to achieve religious ends. According to the strict rules of Hindu iconography, Ganesha figures with only two hands are taboo so he is primarily shown with four arms. Vehicle Ganesha’s vehicle is the mouse or rat. It is symbolic of a rat’s ability to creep through small holes, to slip unobserved into places not thought possible, a representation of wandering, wayward minds. Idols of Ganesha show the rat or mouse as subservient to the elephant god; an implication that the powers of Ganesha’s discrimination have tamed the rodent. Symbols As many as 57 symbols have been attributed to Ganesha. He is normally shown with one hand in the abhaya pose of protection and refuge and the second holding a sweet (modaka).

Sweet balls are symbolic of the sweetness in the realization of the inner self. In the two hands behind him he often holds an ankusha (elephant goad) and a pasha (noose). The noose is to convey that worldly attachments and desires are an illusion, thus a trap. The goad is to prod man to the path of righteousness and truth. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata (One of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana). Birth Multiple tales tell of slightly different origins for Ganesha. The most popular story ( in the most basic form) tells us that Mother Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva, once wanted to take a bath. She created a boy from the dirt of her own body, asking him to stand as a guard outside while she bathed. As this transpired Lord Shiva returned home to find a stranger at his door. As instructed by his mother, the boy prevented Lord Shiva entrance. In anger, Shiva cut off the boy’s head, upon which Parvati was stricken with great grief.

In an act to console her, Shiva sent out his troops with instructions to obtain the head of the first living being encountered. They found an elephant sleeping and thus brought back its head. Shiva then attached the elephantine head to the body of the boy and revived him. He named the boy Ganapati or commander of his troops, and granted him a boon that anyone would have to worship him (Ganesha) before beginning any undertaking. Names One hundred Eight (108) names are synonymous with the Hindu god Ganesha. Among the most commonly spoken are Ganesh, Ganesha, Ganapati, and Vinayaka. These names are born from the manifestations of Ganesha. According to the Ganesha Purana (Book of Ganesha), Lord Ganesha had four manifestations. Other accounts place 32 other manifestations upon Ganesha. Followers Devotees of Ganesha are known as Ganapatyas. His images can be found in households, businesses and temples across the country, for he is much admired by all. Tourists with travel around India will also fall in love with the portly man who holds great respect among Indians.

Mar 2, 2011 Chris Chopp Ganesha: Lord of Success (The Hindu Elephant-Deity) By Subhamoy Das Updated October 20, 2016. Ganesha — the elephant-deity riding a mouse — has become one of the commonest mnemonics for anything associated with Hinduism. This not only suggests the importance of Ganesha but also shows how popular and pervasive this deity is in the minds of the masses. The Lord of Success The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshiped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth. In fact, Ganesha is one of the five prime Hindu deities (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Durga being the other four) whose idolatry is glorified as the panchayatana puja.

Significance of the Ganesha Form Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atman or the soul, which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence, and his human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings. The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om , the sound symbol of cosmic reality. In his upper right hand, Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata . The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

How Ganesha Got His Head The story of the birth of this zoomorphic deity, as depicted in the Shiva Purana, goes like this: Once goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops. Hence his name 'Ganapati'. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. However, there's another less popular story of his origin, found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana: Shiva asked Parvati to observe the punyaka vrata for a year to appease Vishnu in order to have a son.

When a son was born to her, all the gods and goddesses assembled to rejoice on its birth. Lord Shani, the son of Surya (Sun-God), was also present but he refused to look at the infant. Perturbed at this behaviour, Parvati asked him the reason, and Shani replied that his looking at baby would harm the newborn. However, on Parvati's insistence when Shani eyed the baby, the child's head was severed instantly. All the gods started to bemoan, whereupon Vishnu hurried to the bank of river Pushpabhadra and brought back the head of a young elephant, and joined it to the baby's body, thus reviving it. Ganesha, the Destroyer of Pride Ganesha is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. "All Hindus worship Ganesha regardless of their sectarian belief," says D N Singh in A Study of Hinduism.

"He is both the beginning of the religion and the meeting ground for all Hindus." Ganesh Chaturthi The devotees of Ganesha are known as "Ganapatyas," and the festival to celebrate and glorify him is called Ganesh Chaturthi . The Hindu God Ganesh - Who is this Elephant Headed Deity Anyway? - Kashgar Tribal Artifacts - Life for the Modern Nomad | Handmade Jewellery, ethnic handicrafts, antique furniture The Hindu God Ganesh - Who is this Elephant Headed Deity Anyway? Added over 9 years ago Ganesh is one of the best known and loved deities in the Hindu pantheon of gods, and indeed is the most recognized of the Hindu gods outside of India. But who is this elephant headed fellow, and why is he so popular? Ganesh (also spelled Ganesa or Ganesha and known as Ganapati, Vinayaka and Pillaiyar) is the Lord of Good Fortune who provides prosperity, fortune and success. He is the Lord of Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles of both material and spiritual kinds. Interestingly, he also places obstacles in the path of those who need to be checked.

Because of these attributes, Ganesh is widely revered by almost all castes and in all parts of India, regardless of any other spiritual affiliations. His image is found everywhere, in many different forms, and he is invoked before the undertaking of any task. Ganesh is also associated with the first Chakra, or energy wheel, which underpins all of the other Chakras and represents conservation, survival and material well-being. He is considered to be a patron of the arts and sciences and of letters. Devotees believe that if Ganesha is worshiped, he grants success, prosperity and protection against adversity. In a lesser known role, Ganesh is also the destroyer of vanity, selfishness and pride. The attributes and characteristics of Ganesh have evolved over many centuries of Indian history. Several of the sacred Hindu texts relate myths and anecdotes associated with his birth and exploits and help to explain his distinct iconography.

He is popularly held to be the son of Shiva and Parvati, although the Puranas (ancient Hindu and Jain texts narrating the history of the Universe and describing Hindu cosmology, philosophy and geography) disagree about his birth, stating that he may have been created by Shiva, or by Parvati, or by Shiva and Parvati, or may simply have been discovered by Shiva and Parvati. It is a little known fact outside of India that Ganesh has a brother Skanda , who is worshiped particularly in southern India as the embodiment of grace, bravery and love of virtuous deeds. Iconic representations of Ganesh show considerable variation, his form changing over time from that of a simple elephant in earliest depictions to the Ganesh we know today, typically having the head of an elephant and a large rotund belly. He is generally shown with four arms, although the number may vary from two to sixteen. When in the four-armed configuration he usually holds his own broken tusk in his lower-right hand and a laddoo sweet in his lower-left hand which he tastes with his trunk.

An axe or goad is held in the right upper hand and a noose is held in the left upper hand. In a modern variation, the lower-right hand does not hold the broken tusk but is turned toward the viewer in a gesture of protection and fearlessness (the abhaya mudra). Each item carries it's own important spiritual significance and they (and the number of arms used to carry them) may vary to include a water lily, mace, discus, rosary, bowl of sweets, musical instrument, spear or staff, depending on the specific symbology intended by the artist. Ganesh may be portrayed as standing, seated, dancing , crawling as a child (with his favourite laddoo sweet in one hand), or even seated on his mother's knee. When seated, he may be crossed legged or with one leg tucked under him in the position known as "royal ease". His mount or vehicle is usually the humble mouse, often shown at his feet looking adoringly up at him and holding his laddoo sweet in his paws.

The combination of elephant and mouse represents the removal of all obsticals of any size and the ability of Ganesh to control even the most unpredicatable of creatures and situations. There exist a large number of legends, myths and stories relating to Ganesh and his appearance, all reflecting the wealth of symbolism that attends him. The most famous is how he came to have an elephant's head. It is said that the goddess Parvati, wishing to bathe, created a boy and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When her husband Shiva returned from one his interminable battles, he was denied access by Ganesh and killed the boy in a fit of petulant rage, striking his head off with his sword. Parvati was understandably upset and so to soothe her, Shiva sent out his warriors to fetch the head of the first dead creature they found, which happened to be that of an elephant. The head was attached to the body of the boy and he was brought back to life. The elephant's head symbolizes unmatched wisdom and the gaining of knowledge through reflection and listening. And because of his role as his mother's doorkeeper, he is often placed facing doorways to keep out the unworthy.

Some of the stories surrounding Ganesh are confliciting in nature, for example how his tusk came to be broken. One popular story is that he broke it off himself in order to write down the Mahabharata , one of the world's longest epic poems, as it was dictated to him by the sage Vyasa. In the process of writing, Ganesh's pen failed and so he snapped off his tusk as a replacement in order that the transcription not be interrupted. The broken tusk therefore symbolises sacrifice and reiterates Ganesh's role as patron of the arts and of letters. However, another version of the broken-tusk story emphasises Ganesh's loyalty and devotion. In this account, his father Shiva decided to take a nap and asked Ganesh to guard him. A proud Brahmin warrior named Parashuram came to visit Shiva but was stopped from waking him by Ganesh. Parashuram was furious and fought with him, finally throwing his ax at his head. Ganesh stopped the ax with his tusk which broke, giving him the nickname Eka-danta, or "One Toothed." Another common icon associated with Ganesh is that of the snake.

According to one Purana, Ganesha simply wrapped the serpent king Vasuki around his neck. Ganesh may also be portrayed using the snake as a sacred thread, aloft in both hands, coiled at his ankles or as a throne. However the best known story of all concerns Ganesh wrapping the snake around his stomach as a belt. According to the legend, on one of his birthdays, Ganesh went from house to house accepting offerings of sweet puddings. Out on the road his mount the mouse stumbled, having seen a snake and become frightened, with the result that Ganesh tumbled off. His stomach burst open and all the sweet puddings fell out. Unwilling to leave them on the ground for all to see, Ganesh stuffed them back into his stomach and, catching hold of the snake, tied it around his belly. Seeing this, the moon in the sky had a hearty laugh at his expense. Annoyed, Ganesh pulled off one of his tusks and hurled it at the moon.

Once again, the symbology behind the mouse, snake, Ganesh's belly and its relationship to the moon on his birthday is highly significant, his belly representing as it does the entire cosmos which is held together by the cosmic energy of the snake kundalini. With the association of benevloence, intelligence and strength that comes with his elephant countenance and the delightful stories that surround his creation, it is easy to understand why Ganesh is revered so highy in his homeland. But why is he also loved throughout the world? From the 10th century onwards Ganesh became the principal deity of the traders and merchants who went out of India seeking commercial trade. In later centuries many Hindus migrated to other countries and took their culture, including Ganesh, with them. Buddhism has a particular affinity for Ganesh, representing as he does the kindest of principals associated with personal sucess. And since the 20th Century, Ganesh has become a favourite mascot of Western countries, partially because of the westerner's love of elephants but also because of the rewards Ganesh promises when present to oversee daily affairs.

Ganesh has even made appearances on the iconic television show The Simpsons - on one particularly memorable occasion Homer tries to offer him a peanut and is admonished by Apu for his irreverence. Ganesh is also often associated with the goddess of luck and prosperity, Lakshmi, and the two form a typical motif on many protective Indian amulets, providing a double whammy to the wearer in the form of success and wealth married together. Hindu Deities: Lord Ganesha Lord Ganesha Lord Ganesha - the Hindu deity in a human form but with the head of an elephant - represents the power of the Supreme Being that removes obstacles and ensures success in human endeavors. For this reason, Hindus worship Ganesha first before beginning any religious, spiritual or worldly activity. In Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is the first son of Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother Parvati. Their second son is Lord Subramanya and their daughter is Jyoti. As explained below, the portrayal of Lord Ganesha as the blend of human and animal parts symbolizes the ideals of perfection as conceived by Hindu sages and illustrates some philosophical concepts of profound spiritual significance.

Elephant head, wide mouth, and large ears: the large head of an elephant symbolizes wisdom, understanding, and a discriminating intellect that one must possess to attain perfection in life. The wide mouth represents the natural human desire to enjoy life in the world. The large ears signify that a perfect person is the one who possesses a great capacity to listen to others and assimilate ideas. The trunk and two tusks with the left tusk broken: there is no known human instrument that has an operating range as wide as that of an elephant's trunk. It can uproot a tree and yet lift a needle off the ground. Likewise, the human mind must be strong enough to face the ups and downs of the external world and yet delicate enough to explore the subtle realms of the inner world. The two tusks denote the two aspects of the human personality, wisdom and emotion. The right tusk represents wisdom and the left tusk represents emotion. The broken left tusk conveys the idea that one must conquer emotions with wisdom to attain perfection. Elephant eyes: the elephant eyes are said to possess natural deceptiveness that allows them to perceive objects to be bigger than what they really are.

Thus the elephant eyes symbolize the idea that even if an individual gets "bigger and bigger" in wealth and wisdom, he should perceive others to be bigger than himself; that is, surrender one's pride and attain humility. The four arms and various objects in the four hands: the four arms indicate that the Lord is omnipresent and omnipotent. The left side of the body symbolizes emotion and the right side symbolizes reason. An axe in the upper left hand and a lotus in the upper right hand signify that in order to attain spiritual perfection, one should cut worldly attachments and conquer emotions. This enables one to live in the world without being affected by earthly temptations, just as a lotus remains in water but is not affected by it. A tray of Laddus (a popular snack) near the Lord denotes that He bestows wealth and prosperity upon His devotees. The lower right hand is shown in a blessing pose, which signifies that Ganesha always blesses His devotees. A human body with a big belly: the human body possesses a human heart, which is a symbol of kindness and compassion toward all. Ganesha's body is usually portrayed wearing red and yellow clothes. Yellow symbolizes purity, peace and truthfulness.

Red symbolizes the activity in the world. These are the qualities of a perfect person who perforrns all duties in the world, with purity, peace, and truthfulness. The big belly signifies that a perfect individual must have a large capacity to face all pleasant and unpleasant experiences of the world. A mouse sitting near the feet of Ganesha and gazing at the tray of Laddus: a mouse symbalizes the ego that can nibble all that is good and noble in a person. A mouse sitting near the feet of Ganesha indicates that a perfect person is one who has conquered his (or her) ego. A mouse gazing at the Laddus, but not consuming them, denotes that a purified or controlled ego can live in the world without being affected by the worldly temptations. The mouse is also the vehicle of Ganesha, signifying that one must control ego in order for wisdom to shine forth. Right foot dangling over the left foot: as stated above, the left side of the body symbolizes emotion and the right side symbolizes reason and knowledge. The right foot dangling over the left foot illustrates that in order to live a successful life one should utilize knowledge and reason to overcome emotions.

- Bansi Pandit mythology - Why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant head? - Hinduism Stack Exchange Why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant head? up vote 8 down vote accepted There is a story behind the elephant head. I would certainly write one but with some broken grammar so I preferred quoting it from Wikipedia . One day Goddess Parvati was at home on Mt.Kailash preparing for a bath. As she didn’t want to be disturbed, she told Nandi, her husband Shiva’s Bull, to guard the door and let no one pass. Nandi faithfully took his post, intending to carry out Parvati’s wishes. But, when Shiva came home and naturally wanted to come inside, Nandi had to let him pass, being loyal first to Shiva. Parvati was angry at this slight, but even more than this, at the fact that she had no one as loyal to Herself as Nandi was to Shiva. So, taking the turmeric paste (for bathing) from her body and breathing life into it, she created Ganesha, declaring him to be her own loyal son.

The next time Parvati wished to bathe, she posted Ganesha on guard duty at the door. In due course, Shiva came home, only to find this strange boy telling him he couldn’t enter his own house! Furious, Shiva ordered his army to destroy the boy, but they all failed. This surprised Shiva. Seeing that this was no ordinary boy, the usually peaceful Shiva decided he would have to fight him, and in his divine fury severed Ganesha’s head, killing him instantly. When Parvati learned of this, she was so enraged and insulted that she decided to destroy the entire Creation. Lord Brahma, being the Creator, naturally had his issues with this, and pleaded that she reconsider her drastic plan. She said she would, but only if two conditions were met: one, that Ganesha be brought back to life, and two, that he be forever worshipped before all the other gods. Shiva, having cooled down by this time, agreed to Parvati’s conditions. He sent Brahma out with orders to bring back the head of the first creature he crosses that is lying with its head facing North.

Brahma soon returned with the head of a strong and powerful elephant, which Shiva placed onto Ganesha’s body. Breathing new life into him, he declared Ganesha to be his own son as well, and gave him the status of being foremost among the gods, and leader of all the ganas (classes of beings), Ganapati. Also, not only Ganesha has an animal head, Hanuman is nothing but a monkey god. Same with Varaha which is an avatar of Lord Vishnu in a form of Boar. up vote 2 down vote There are several Puranic stories about Lord Ganesha and his elephant head. These stories are: Once Parvati, just for fun, prepared an image of a child with an elephant's head, out of the unguents smeared over her body and threw it into the river Ganga. It came to life. Both Ganga and Parvati addressed the boy as their child. Hence Lord Ganesha is known as Dvaimatura, 'one who has two mothers'; Parvati prepared the image of a child out of the scurf from her body, endowed him with life and ordered him to stand guard before her house.

When Siva wanted to enter the house he was rudely prevented by Ganesha. Siva became Rudra and got him beheaded. Seeing that Parvati was inconsolable, Siva grafted an elephant's head on the body of the boy and gave him life. Siva appointed this new-found son as the head of all his retinues, who thus became 'Ganapati'. He sprang from Siva's countenance which represents akashtattva (principle of ether). His captivating splendour made Parvati react angrily and curse him, resulting in the elephant head; and Ganesha was originally Krishna himself in the human form. When Sani, the malevolent planet spirit gazed at him, his head got separated and flew to Goloka. The head of an elephant was subsequently grafted on the body of the child. All these Puranic stories are taken from the book 'Hindu Gods and Goddesses' by Swami Harshananda. Swami Harshananda of the Ramakrishna Order is an Advaitist and does not take the Puranic stories seriously. The learned Swami gives several views regarding the meaning of the elephant head.

First he points out that Ganapati had gained de facto recognition in the hearts of millions of votaries over several centuries long before the Puranas were written. Several Puranic stories reflect the struggle by various Puranic authors to give de jure recognition to Ganapati! He gives the following possible meanings of the elephant head: 'Gana' means category. Everything that we perceive through our senses or grasp through our mind can be expressed in terms of category. The principle from which all such categories have manifested themselves is Ganapati, the Lord of categories. In effect, it means the origin of the whole creation, God Himself; A common Sanskrit word to denote elephant is 'Gaja'. Hence the name Gajanana or Gajamukha (elephant-faced) for Ganapati. But the word 'Gaja' has a deeper connotation. 'Ga' indicates 'Gati', the final goal towards which the entire creation is moving. 'Ja' stands for 'Janma' or birth or origin. Hence 'Gaja' signifies God from whom the worlds have come out and towards whom they are progressing, to be ultimately dissolved in Him.

The elephant head is thus purely symbolical and points to this truth; A factor we observe in creation is its two-fold manifestation as the microcosm (Suksmanda) and macrocosm (Brahmanda). Each is a replica of the other. They are one in two and two in one. The elephant head stands for the macrocosm and the human body for the microcosm. The two form one unit. Since the macrocosm is the goal of microcosm, the elephant part has been given greater prominence by making it the head. The elephant-human form of Ganapati is the iconographical representation of the great Vedantic dictum, 'tat-tvam-asi'(which means You the apparently limited individual are in essence the Cosmic Truth, the Absolute). The elephant stands for the cosmic whereas the human stands for the individual. REF: Hindu Gods and Goddesses by Swami Harshananda Who is Ganesh? Who is Ganesh? Ganesh is one of the most worshiped gods in the Hindu religion. He is the destroyer of vanity, selfishness, pride and is the remover of obstacles. He also is the symbol of abundance since there is nothing stopping you between you and your ideal.

He is the personification of material universe in all its various magnificent manifestations. Many Hindus have a statue, painting or symbol to assist in praying to Ganesh at some time in their day. Since his main job is to remove obstacles in your life's path, he has become one of the most praised and worshiped of Hindu gods. If you're wondering why he has the head of an elephant, there is a great story behind this. As depicted in the ancient Hindu text called the "Shiva Purana", the goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy's head in rage. Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his people to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. They found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader of his troops, hence his original name 'Ganapati'.

Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. Ganesh is a highly symbolic deity for Hindus. The head of Ganesh represents the Atman (the soul or ultimate reality), while his body signifies the world and earthly realm of human beings. The elephant trunk had the symbol of OM on it, which is the primal sound and symbol of the Universal reality. In his upper right hand Ganesh holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. The noose in Ganesh's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties. The broken tusk that Ganesh holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atman. His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

Enlighten your consciousness and vibration to manifest your desires faster and easier! It's time to reveal your most confident and empowered self still hidden within your very own body, mind and soul! The Elephant Men | Living Gods | Nature | PBS The Elephant Men Explore more from this episode More It is elephants’ elevated standing in Indian culture that prevents them from being killed, even when they bring destruction to people and property. Over 80 percent of Indians are Hindus, and to members of the Hindu religion, the elephant is a sacred animal. Elephants are sacred animals to Hindus. It is the living incarnation of one of their most important gods: Ganesh, an elephant-headed deity who rides atop a tiny mouse. There are many stories of Ganesh’s creation, but the best known say he is the son of Parvati, the Hindu goddess of the mountains and wife of the greatest god, Lord Shiva. One day, Parvati desired a guard as she took a bath, so she created Ganesh from dirt to stand watch. But the boy did his job too well; he refused to let Lord Shiva see his wife. Angry, Shiva cut off the boy’s head.

To console his grieving wife, Shiva gave Ganesh the head of an elephant. According to Hindu scholars, each part of the deity has a symbolic function. Ganesh’s head itself symbolizes the ability to acquire wisdom and knowledge, while his big ears bestow the patience to listen carefully. Ganesh’s small eyes can behold the future and recognize truth, while his long trunk is able to sniff out good and evil. His big belly symbolizes the ability to digest both the best and worst in life. The tiny mouse upon which Ganesh rides symbolizes the ability to move quickly and decisively. “All obstacles, whatever they may be, will be rooted out by worshipping Ganesh,” promises an ancient Hindu text. Today, following Shiva’s command that anyone beginning a new undertaking worship Ganesh, Hindus often invoke the elephant god’s name at the beginning of worship, trips, and projects — such as the elephant taming adventure documented in The Elephant Men. Ganesh is also honored at the beginning of books, because he is said to have been a great scribe and patron of learning. He is depicted on many temples; some even keep stables of real elephants for ceremonial events.

In south India, for instance, there is a fall festival called Dussehra that is famous for its parade of elephants decorated with paint and cloth. Hindus, though, aren’t the only South Asians to worship elephants. Buddhists, for instance, believe so-called “white” elephants, a light-colored variant, carry special significance. In Thailand, white elephants are considered the king’s property, and wars have been fought over these relatively rare animals. While Asian elephants are revered today as spiritual icons, they were once also feared as potent weapons of war. Countless ancient armies surged across Asia on elephants. Sometimes, however, these elephants proved a liability. When the great Timur, King of Samarkand, attacked Delhi in 1398, the city’s defenders boasted an intimidating elephant corps. But the animals fled in panic and Delhi’s defenses crumbled after Timur’s men drove camels carrying grass torches on their backs toward the elephants. Terrified by the fire, the elephants stampeded. Soldiers weren’t the only ones to fear elephants; prisoners also had reason to tremble. When convicted of serious crimes, felons could face death by elephant trampling.

More from The Elephant Men (4) Hindu Rituals & Ganesh | Our Everyday Life Hindu Rituals & Ganesh A multi-armed, dancing Ganesh balancing on a rat is considered to be extremely auspicious. Related Articles What Is Darshan in Hindu Worship? One of the most beloved and popular gods in the Hindu pantheon has the head of an elephant and rides on a rat. Ganesh, also called Ganesha or Ganapati, is the focus of huge late-summer celebrations in Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and other cities and regions of India. But Ganesh is as much a domestic as a civic deity and is a personable object of daily worship. How Ganesh Got His Head Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva, was disconsolate at his long absence so she gave birth to a son, Ganesh, who became her constant companion. When at last Shiva returned home, Ganesh refused to allow him in and as neither recognized the other, Shiva lost his temper and cut off Ganesh's head. To placate Parvati, who was understandably upset, Shiva rushed out and lopped off the first living head he encountered, and placed it on Ganesh's body.

One headless elephant and one elephant-headed god later, Ganesh quickly became a favorite of devout Hindus and is today the first god invoked in any religious ceremony. "Om Ganesha Namaha" means "I bow to thee, Lord Ganesh" and is chanted at the beginning of private and public Hindu rituals. Ganesha Chaturthi If every Hindu home in India doesn't have its Ganesh altar, it's likely that most do, and they are well-tended. Daily worship is important; no day should go by without offerings, bowing and praying to the benevolent god. But the affection for the odd, pudgy deity can be publicly gauged at the annual Ganesha -- or Ganapati -- Chaturthi festivals that take place in India over ten or 11 days between August and September. Chaturthi celebrates the god's birthday and thousands of followers turn out in cities across India for ritual washing and dressing of large Ganesh statues, offerings of sweet prasad, marathon mantra chanting, traditional music and a procession to the sea or river.

The giant Ganeshes that have been publicly worshiped are immersed in the water on the final day of the festival -- devotees wade right in to see them off. The immersion honors Hindu belief that a statue can be enlivened to become the living god and must be disposed of respectfully. One Tusk, Pot Belly His round belly, chubby legs, multiple arms, missing parts and that memorable head don't keep Ganesh from his role as divine heartthrob. He is loved and importuned at every puja for his ability to bestow good fortune and remove obstacles. The elephant head is very useful. The trunk symbolizes the tremendous strength and wisdom of a righteous person. Large elephant ears admit all knowledge. The unusual juxtaposition of elephant and human body directs the attention to the intrinsic divine nature of everything, despite outward appearances and illusions. A missing tusk signifies that Ganesh broke off his own tusk to wrote down the Mahabharata, India's great spiritual epic. His many arms and hands hold symbolic items: a lotus for enlightenment; a hatchet to remove bad karma; confections to reward a wise life; a mudra, the sacred shape of the hand into a blessing.

Ganesh's less-than-svelte mid-section reminds followers that life is abundant. A rat underfoot stands for mastery of the undisciplined senses. Green Ganesh Ganesh is endlessly adaptable. Under restrictive British rule, Ganapati Chaturthi festivals were one way for Indians to gather in public and express solidarity. The festival celebrations retain some political flavor today -- in India, the site of communal worship may also contain booths representing different political factions -- but the powerful and approachable god remains the focus of attention. Worldwide, Hindu temples stage parties for Ganesh's birthday and a new generation is factoring eco-conscious concerns into preparations for traditional rituals. Instead of commissioning mammoth fiberglass or plaster Ganesh statues brightly painted in acrylics for the festival, organizers in New Delhi switched to clay statues with natural dyes that will biodegrade in the water. The scores of old statues are an environmental hazard; the new ones represent the spiritual ideas of creation and dissolution. After immersion, they will gradually disappear without a trace. References

Question: Which Hindu deity has the head of an elephant?
Answer: Ganesha